Feeling the post-holiday blues? Here are 18 weird, tasty reasons to celebrate in January

Blue Monday is on its way — it's coming on Jan. 19 or Jan. 25, depending on where you look. The date — and even the existence — of "Blue Monday," or the most depressing day of the year, has been disputed by news reports for years. However, the dreary grayness of the post-holiday season is real, according to the National Institutes of Health. Luckily, there's help at hand!
Here's a look at some random, interesting and downright tasty holidays spread throughout the entire month of January.
Happy celebrating!

Jan. 8 - Bubble Bath Day

Shutterstock

According to punchbowl.com, today is Bubble Bath Day. If you're still wound up from the stress of the holidays, celebrating Bubble Bath Day might be just the thing to help you relax.

Jan. 10 - Bittersweet Chocolate Day

Shutterstock

Bittersweet chocolate does not contain any milk solids and is required by the Food and Drug Administration to contain at least 35 percent chocolate liquor, which is a non-alcoholic liquid made from cocoa beans. On January 10, feel free to indulge in some bittersweet chocolate, and in the process, you may just be doing your heart some good as well.

Jan. 13 - National Rubber Ducky Day (+bonus)

Shutterstock

January 13 is National Rubber Ducky Day, which makes it the perfect day to pull out your beloved rubber ducky and sing it a happy song, a la Ernie from "Sesame Street."

Did you know that in 1992, 29,000 plastic ducks, turtles and frogs were knocked off the deck of a container ship? The friendly plastic creatures have been traveling the world ever since, washing up in Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Scotland, CNN reported, with the most recent discovery occurring in August 2013.

Bonus celebration: January 13th is also "Make Your Dream Come True Day," according to holidayinsights.com.

Jan. 14 - National Dress Up Your Pet Day

Shutterstock

If you have the winter blues, brighten your mood with National Dress Up Your Pet Day!

National Dress Up Your Pet Day was founded in 2009 as a way to celebrate pets and "support the pet fashion community," according to the website dressupyourpetday.com.

However, it's not a day to "disrespect our pets with vulgar and/or seasonally inappropriate costumes for the sake of a laugh or photo shoot," creator Colleen Paige said.

Jan. 16 - International Hot & Spicy Food Day

Shutterstock

Add a little flavor to your life by celebrating International Hot & Spicy Food Day on January 16.

According to an August 22, 2013, history.com article, clear evidence of humans using spices to flavor food date back to the Neolithic period. Older samples of spices have been found, the article said, but scientists have had a hard time determining whether the spices were used for cooking, medicinal or decorative purposes.

Jan. 17 - Ditch New Year's Resolutions Day

Shutterstock

According to numbers posted at statisticbrain.com, 45 percent of Americans usually make New Year's resolutions, but only 8 percent of people are successful in achieving their goals.

At least 46 percent of people who set resolutions maintain them for longer than six months, the website said, but for people who are ready to give up their resolutions early, January 17 — aka Ditch New Year's Resolution Day — could be the ideal time.

January 18 is the birthday of Peter Mark Roget, better known as the author of the book, "Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases." So pull out your thesaurus and take a minute to revel in language as a way to honor the 1800s physician.

Bonus celebration: Speaking of authors, while celebrating Roget, don't forget to honor author A.A. Milne as well, because January 18 is also listed as Winnie the Pooh Day.

Jan. 19 - National Popcorn Day

Shutterstock

According to Punchbowl.com, January 19 is National Popcorn Day. Although the actual date for the event is debated — some say it falls on Super Bowl Sunday while others insist it's January 19th — popcorn.org points out that whoever labeled the day and whichever day they intended it to be celebrated on, it was done "with obvious good taste."

Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Associated Press

According to mlkday.gov, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is built around service, and invites all citizens to work together to help solve national problems.

"The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a beloved community," the site says.

Jan. 21 - National Hugging Day

Shutterstock

National Hugging Day was originally created by Kevin Zaborney, the nationalhuggingday.com website says, and the day was first widely celebrated in 1986.

"There is an abundance of past and current research available that finds positive touch, such as hugging, improves one's physical, emotional and spiritual health," the website says. However, "it is advised to ask first before hugging."

Jan. 22 - National Blonde Brownie Day

Shutterstock

According to the website holidayinsights.com, the all-important National Blonde Brownie Day is a day where it is "your right and responsibility to bake blonde brownies, and to eat them."

Jan. 23 - National Pie Day

Shutterstock

National Pie Day — not to be confused with the March 14th Pi Day — is a day where the "pie-sibilities" for celebration are endless, according to the American Pie Council.

"We are encouraging pie lovers everywhere to teach someone to make a pie during the month of January in honor of National Pie Day," the APC website went on to say.

Jan. 24 - National Peanut Butter Day (+bonus)

Shutterstock

According to the punchbowl.com's National Peanut Butter Day page, the average person consumes more than six pounds of peanut products each year, and peanut butter is a staple in more than 90 percent of American households.

Nationalpeanutboard.org reports that it takes 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, and Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.

Bonus celebration: Holidayinsights.com reports that January 24 is also Compliment Day, so to celebrate both days at the same time, you can give compliments while eating peanut butter.

Jan. 27 - National Chocolate Cake Day (+bonus)

Shutterstock

Whether or not it's a recognized, real, official holiday, National Chocolate Cake Day might just be the best holiday ever — if you're a fan of chocolate cake, that is.

Bonus celebration: According to punchbowl.com, January 27 is also Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day.

Jan. 28 - National Blueberry Pancake Day (+bonus)

Shutterstock

Nothing has the power to chase away the post-holiday doldrums like a nice fluffy stack of blueberry pancakes — or so the folks who created National Blueberry Pancake Day would surely argue.

Punchbowl.com lists January 29 as Freethinkers Day, or Thomas Paine Day. Paine was a British writer who came to America in the mid-1770s at the urging of Benjamin Franklin. While living in the colonies, he penned the famous pamphlet "Common Sense," which pushed for American independence from Britain, and later went on to write "The American Crisis."

"Freethinkers Day has been celebrated since the 1990s," according to punchbowl.com. "Its purpose is to educate people about Paine's work and the importance of freethinking and freedom. To celebrate the occasion, pick up a copy of 'Common Sense' and take a moment to appreciate your civil liberties!"

Bonus celebration: January 29th is also National Corn Chip Day

Jan. 30 - National Croissant Day

Shutterstock

According to CNN's eatocracy website, croissants have their roots back in the early 1800s when a Viennese man opened a bakery in Paris and made half-moon shaped pastries called kipferl. Other origin stories tie croissants back to the 1600s and battles between the Turkish and Ottoman empires. Either way, January 30 is your day to celebrate with these flaky, buttery, light pastries.

Jan. 31 - Chinese New Year (+bonus)

Associated Press

January 31 marks the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, which is determined by solar and lunar changes. The day brings the Year of the Water Snake to a close and ushers in the Year of the Wooden Horse.

Bonus celebration: January 31 is also Backwards Day — or should we say, Yad Sdrawkcab?